Only Us
by rose by another name 12
Summary: The Collins family have rebuilt their lives, but what happens when a mysterious man arrives at Collinwood claiming to be a long lost relative? What will they make of his seemingly obsessive interest in the family fortune, and in Victoria? Barnabas/Victoria pairing:)


Chapter One: We Have Endured

Victoria Collins pushed her bicycle along the hillside path, listening to

the loud crunching of gravel under the wheels. She had been biking quite a lot

lately when she had nothing to do. It was a good way to enjoy the natural beauty

of the forest surrounding Collinwood while silently musing to herself. She especially loved afternoons like this. In the heart of autumn when

she could ride down to the village and get a cup of coffee. Then she could walk

back up to the house, arriving just before Carolyn and David got home from

school. After making them a snack she would go up to her room and prepare to go

out to dinner in Collinsport with the rest of the family, as they did every

Friday night.

Today was particularly beautiful, the colorful trees contrasted with the

gray, cloud covered sky and the crashing of nearby waves could be heard over the

rustling of branches. On days like this, when the sun didn't shine, Victoria

could go out without wearing sunglasses or carrying an umbrella. In fact, New England weather was ideal for vampires like she and

Barnabas.

Barnabas, the very sound of his name made her smile. They had been

married for about five months now, and she had never been happier. Everything

had smoothed out for the Collin's family, from the rebuilding of the mansion to

David conquering his supernatural powers.

The chilling breeze blew harder, forcing her to quicken her pace.

She mounted her bike and peddled to the front gate if Collinwood, getting off

when she reached the steep driveway.

After wheeling her bike under the car port she entered the mansion,

pulling off her coat. She was instantly met by the warmth from the large

fireplace and the smooth echo of music.

"Nights in white satin"

Never reaching the end"

"Letters of written, never meaning to send..."

Carolyn and David must have beaten her home. She noticed Willie

piddling around the foyer. "Hey Vicki," he said plainly. But she didn't hear

him, she was distracted by a blinding image that suddenly crowded her mind. She

envisioned Josette. "He will return," she whispered in a soft, foreboding voice.

Before she could ask who was returning, Willie's voice returned her to

consciousness

"You okay?" he asked, waving a hand in front of her face.

"Fine," she replied, dismissing the vision even though she hadn't

seen Josette since that fateful night when she'd leapt from Widows Hill. "Where

are the kids?"

"Living room," he retorted. As she walked out of the room he

said,"oh and tell your crazy husband to stop sprinkiln' circles of salt

everywhere. There ain't no witches around,anymore and I'm gettin' sick of

sweeping it up."

"Will do," she giggled back. She walked gracefully into the living

room, listening to the clomping of her shoes on the floorboards. She entered to

find Carolyn dancing gracefully in the corner near the radio and David sitting

on the couch reading a book, his face shaded by the warm lamplight. "Hello," she

said cheerfully, sitting down on a large chair rather close to the fire

place.

"Hi Vicki," said David. Carolyn shut off her music and came to sit

down. She had grown a lot more well mannered lately. Now that the secret was our

about her animalistic abilities, she had grown closer to her family, Victoria

especially. She had even started a blossoming relationship with local boy, Joe

Haskell.

"Hey Vicki, is alright if Joe comes out with us tonight," she

asked, smiling sweetly at the thought of her boyfriend. 'Love is in the air at

Collinwood.' Vicki thought to herself, but shrugged,"fine with me."

"Thanks," she grinned

"Just call him and tell him to be here by six," she was hardly able to

finish her sentence before she heard the calling of her husband. "Is that my

lovely wife I hear?" he exclaimed in that eccentric voice that she loved.

"Why yes it is Mr. Collins," she coed, leaning up to place a soft

kiss on his lips. The feel his hand on her shoulders banished the remaining

chill from the autumn afternoon

"Don't look David," Carolyn joked, covering her cousins eyes.

Victoria broke her kiss with Barnabas, turning to the children. "Would you like

something to eat?" she asked them," we won't be going to dinner till

six."

"Yeah I'm starving," said Carolyn. "I second that motion," agreed

Barnabas, playfully chasing Victoria into the kitchen. Carolyn, David, and

Barnabas sat around the table as Vicki busied her self scouring the cabinets for

something to feed them.

Carolyn looked over to Barnabas who was staring lovingly at the

female vampire. "I don't have to read romance novels," she inquired suddenly,"I

have one unfolding before my very eyes."

Vicki laughed,but she knew what her niece said was true. Her life

was unfolding like the happy ending in a romance novel, she was madly in love,

and had the perfect family. But in her love story there was no ending. She and

Barnabas were immortal, they would always be around. They would always share an

undying love for each other. No matter what the stormy sea of life held for them

they would always stay afloat. The funny thing was, it all seemed so impossible,

vampires, witches, immortal life. Yet this was her reality, and it was almost

too good to be true.

She quickly made Carolyn and David a peanut butter sandwich and

dumped some 0-positive(curtsy of a local doctor) into a cup for Barnabas. "Where

is Elizabeth?" she inquired, sitting down beside her husband.

"Working at the cannery," replied Barnabas, swallowing the rest if

the blood and setting the glass aside. "She had what she described as 'mountains

of paperwork,'" he said.

"Ahh," she said nodding,"well I'm going to read my book for a

while."

pSPAN "I'm coming too!" David exclaimed. Vicki knew he would probably

become immersed in drawing or something/SPAN/DIV

"I think I shall follow," stated Barnabas and they began to file

out of the kitchen. "Are you coming Carolyn?" Vicki questioned over her

shoulder.

Carolyn smiled but said,"no I need to go find what I'm going to

wear tonight." "Oh," Vicki said understandingly, knowing she wanted to look nice

for Joe.

With that the trio filed into the living room, which was lit by warm

lamp light. Victoria retrieved a rather thick book from the coffee table then

sat down on the couch, leaning into Barnabas, who kissed the top of her head as

she sat. David laid on his stomach on the floor, drawing a scribbly little

picture in a notebook.

They sat like that for a while, with David drawing silently on the

floor, and Victoria and Barnabas cuddling on the couch. When the clock struck

five, the front door creaked open and Elizabeth's footsteps echoed up the

stairs. Which was Vicki's cue to go change clothes for dinner.

She left Barnabas and David to wait and walked into the room that

she and her husband occupied.

It consisted of a coffin, double the normal size so the both of them

could fit inside . With a closet, large bookshelf, and a dresser, even though

they couldn't see their reflections. Victoria turned on one of the lamps on the

dresser then walked over to the unused bed and picked up the dress that she

planned to wear tonight.

She quickly changed out of her regular clothes and into the dress.

It was deep red with quarter length sleeves, it clung to her figure, ending just

above her knees. She slipped on some black stockings and a pair of short ,black

,lace up boots.

She picked up a brush from the dresser and eased it

through her hair, which she'd dyed a darker brown on Carolyn and Elizabeth's

advice. She also put on a small heart necklace that Barnabas had given her some

time ago.

Then with a final touch of lipstick she bounded merrily to Carolyn's

room, needing her advice since she could no longer see her own reflection. She

knocked on the door and her niece answered, wearing a a short sleeved, purple

dress with similar shoes. "How do I look?"She asked. Carolyn grinned, "amazing,

your husband will be stunned, how about me?"

"Joe won't be able to pull his eyes away," she laughed. "Well,"

Vicki said playfully sticking her arm out,"shall we go and baffle our men with

our beauty?" "Yes we shall!" Carolyn replied, linking her arm with Vicki's. It

amazed her how close she was to a woman who had simply waltzed through the

mansion doors a year ago, coming to teach her weirdo cousin. But Victoria

understood her, and she helped her with the challenges of being a teenager; and

the challenges of being a werewolf for that matter. Vicki had helped she and her

mother improve their relationship after her supernatural strengths had been

revealed, and was always there when she needed to talk. All in all they were

more like sisters than anything. /SPAN/DIV

pSPAN As they walked down the hall, Vicki paused, staring off into space.

Her vision was blocked by another image of Josette, whispering in her ghostly

voice that someone would return. Carolyn tugged at her arm,"Vicki what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she managed, shaking her head slightly. This was starting to frighten

her. If someone was returning, who were they an what was their

intention?

Pushing the thought from her mind, she happily bounded down the

stairs to see Barnabas, David, Elizabeth, and Joe waiting. Victoria figured that

Elizabeth had picked up Joe in her way home and she just hadn't noticed him

enter the house. "You two take too long," David complained. Barnabas simply

smiled and kissed his wife's cheek,"oh but Master David it was worth the wait.

You look beautiful my love, young Carolyn as well."

"I agree," said Joe, putting an arm around her waist. Carolyn ruffled

his dark brown hair,"Barnabas has been giving you lessons I see." He laughed,

then gave Carolyn a long, sweet kiss. Elizabeth tried to suppress a snicker.

Barnabas laughed, "I would tell you to mind where you put your lips Master Joe,

but I am about to follow suite." With that he kissed Victoria just as intensely.

"Come on, let's go before they run out of seats," Elizabeth ushered

her family out the door. Barnabas helped Victoria into her coat, and they made a

b-line for the Chevy. The air outside was cold and crisp with just a hint of

salt from the nearby water. It was still light outside and the clouds that had

previously covered the sky were growing darker. An Atlantic storm was in the

way.

All six of then packed into the car and the rolled into Collinsport.

Neon lights gleamed in windows all around, reflecting on the black asphalt in

the road. People off all shapes and sizes pranced about. Vicki smiled, the night

life in Collinsport was always something to get excited about.

They pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant/bar that had been a

new addition to the small fishing village. It was probably the only decent

restaurant in town according to Elizabeth.

When they entered the building,they were met by dimmed lights and

music, similar to the kind that Carolyn listened to. In a matter of minutes they

were seated and ordered their food. Then, Carolyn and Joe proceeded to go join

the other dancers who were swaying to the music throughout the

restaurant.

After about five minutes of watching his niece, Barnabas idly

grabbed his wife's hand, pulling her onto the dance floor. "Let us show them how

it's done, my dear." She beamed at him, allowing herself to melt and her

husband's arms as they swayed to the music that even Barnabas had become

accustomed to.

"Please go all the way. It feels so right, bein' with you here

tonight.

Please go all the way, just hold me close. And don't ever let me go..."

She sighed, savoring this wonderful feeling. The trouble from last

year seemed almost like a dream now. She couldn't believe how far they had come

since their final showdown with Angelique. Everything had fallen into place. And

now she had forever to enjoy her family and the man she loved. The Collins

family had indeed endured, and quite gracefully so.

Once again she saw Josette on the other side of the room. This time

she ignored her, whoever was returning could. They would endure that

too.

But she had no idea who was speeding down the highway toward

Collinsport, and no idea how wicked his intentions

were.


End file.
